CHAOTIC BEGINNING
An activist demanded to know ...
>> When the new football ground for Ribandar would be ready
>> Why local planners and architects were not appointed on the board of IPSCDL
>> The IPSCDL website does not give details. What is the eligibility to be a director
>> What are the qualifications of those on the Board
>> Why there are no Goan planners and architects on the Board
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PANAJI: The Public consultation process organised by the 'Smart Town' plan for Ribandar's 'Smart Town' plan turned out to be a chaotic affair on Monday with two social activists resident of the area, Adv Aires Rodrigues and Kashinath Shetye taking on officials with a barrage of queries over the lack of transparency in Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited's (IPSCDL) functioning.
Rodrigues kicked off the consultation demanding to know when the new football ground for Ribandar would be ready, even before the Smart City team had even begun its presentation on the proposed project.
No sooner IPSCDL chairman Sidharth Kuncalienkar began the proceedings saying that the Smart City project would transform the current football ground at Ribander, Rodrigues began his tirade
saying residents did not want the Smart City project going down the Swachch Bharat way.
Rodrigues also directed a series of questions at Kuncolienkar demanding to know why local planners and architects were not appointed on the board of IPSCDL.
"The IPSCDL website does not give details. What is the eligibility to be a director, what are the qualifications of those on the Board, and why have you not taken Goan planners and architects?," Rodrigues asked.
Kuncolienkar and the other IPSCDL officials however ignored all of Rodrigues' questions.
MD and CEO, Swayandipta Chaudhury sought an opportunity for the team to make their presentation but no sooner a couple of slides were projected and a presenter was talking about the proposed underground electricity cabling and sewage pipelines, Shetye stopped him to ask, "You are getting paid to do this presentation. Show us the plans for the underground electricity and sewage lines."
Kuncalienkar had earlier claimed that the tendering process for the underground electricity cabling was going on and would close on September 17 but the IPSCDL team was quick to backtrack saying the presentation was only a proposal and nothing had started.
Many other citizens present however pointed out that the tendering had already started without any concrete plans.
Once the presentation was complete, other residents including, Adv Saish Mhambre, raised questions over the size of a proposed jetty and the nearby accident-prone spot. He pointed out that no provisions for parking for the proposed market place were made.
Doubts were also raised on whether IPSCDL would get CRZ clearance for the proposed marketplace.
In response to the initial uproar at the meet, the Smart City team insisted that no project would go ahead which the residents did not approve of.
"Even though we have the funding, we have not taken up any major project till now, because we want to make sure we have everyone on board," Chaudhari told those present.
Kuncalienkar and Chaudhari also promised that work on the market place would not start until CRZ approval was received,
Kuncalienkar also shot down a citizen's suggestion for underground parking at the market place, saying it would not get the green signal from GCZMA.
It was also assured citizens will not be inconvenienced, when road works are being executed as it would be carried out in phases. Kunkalienkar also said that citizens were welcome to join in the IPSCDL offices housed in the Adil Shah Palace, every Saturday, where meetings were held from 10:00 to 12:00. For queries about Smart City, citizens can also write into [email protected] for any document that they may wish to see.
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IPSCDL PROPOSALS
Following projects proposed to make Ribandar smart
>> Revamping of the current football ground
>> 27 MLD plant for 24x7 water supply
>> A new bridge
>> Improvement of the current moss-covered steps
>> Improvement of the current crematorium
>> New roads
>> Redoing old mud roads
>> A good sewage system
>> Doing up the market place with a multipurpose hall on top
>> Revamping the jetty for it to fit 15-20 boats
